How cultural mismatch affects Latinx students' health and college success during the transition to university
Official title: Investigating Cultural Mismatch and its Associations to Health and Academic Outcomes Among Latinx Students During the Transition to College: The Moderating Role of Education Context and Resilience
Funded at California State University Northridge · NIH-11141623 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores how differences between home and college values affect Latinx first-generation students' stress, physical health (like cortisol and BMI), and academic progress in their first year.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | California State University Northridge NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Northridge, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $181,250 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM146693-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11141623 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are Latinx first-generation college freshmen at the participating public four-year universities who can complete surveys, an interview, and provide saliva and basic clinical measurements across three time points.
✕Less likely to help
Students who are not Latinx, not first-generation, not beginning their college transition, or unwilling/unable to provide biological samples are unlikely to be eligible or to directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
You would join as a Latinx first-generation freshman at one of two public universities and complete surveys and an interview about your values, stress, and college experience. The team will collect biological samples (diurnal saliva for cortisol) and clinical measures (height/weight for BMI) at three time points: first semester, second semester, and one year later. Researchers will compare students at a teaching-centered versus a research-centered university and examine whether personal resilience and the school environment change the effects of cultural mismatch. The goal is to link cultural stress with both health markers and academic outcomes to guide supports for students.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide programs or supports that reduce stress, protect health, and improve retention and graduation for Latinx first-generation students.
How similar studies have gone: Prior qualitative, survey, and experimental work suggests cultural mismatch matters for Latinx students, but adding longitudinal biological markers and cross-campus comparison is a newer approach with limited precedent.
Where this research is happening
-
California State University Northridge
Northridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vasquez-Salgado, Yolanda — California State University Northridge
- Study coordinator: Vasquez-Salgado, Yolanda
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.